The Obama Administration’s announcement on testing reform in schools further highlights the many ways students could receive a higher quality education.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 the unprecedented happened: students and teachers laid down their differences, schools forgot about their rivalries and districts dropped the constant need to rise above each other. What is the cause of this at least temporary unification? They are celebrating the Obama Administration’s announcement to reduce the number of required standardized tests students take throughout their education career.
Finally, students may not have to take so many standardized tests, teachers can teach more of what matters and less of what may be ‘on the test’ and districts can spend less money on testing and allocate that money to the parts of its systems in need.
The impact of standardized tests on our education system is staggering and easy to oversee. According to a study done by the American Federation of Teachers in 2015, the average district in the Eastern region of the United States has its students spend about 25 hours in the school year taking tests. But that is only the test taking itself — countless hours are spent in the classroom to prepare students for these tests. The same study showed that more than $1,000 every year is spent per student between the grades 6 and 11.
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While it may be too late for the newest generation of college students, who right about now are cursing out the multitude of standardized tests they were subjected to, it is not too late for our younger peers. The opportunities now available because of a reduction in the time spent testing and the increase in the quality of tests are unlimited.
Students could actually learn another language (two years of the online language course Rosetta Stone per student would cost half of what districts are currently spending on tests). More focus could be brought to teaching computer skills liking coding and design. More books can be bought for English and history classes, better equipment in labs or the arts can suit the students needs instead of a budget. With the extra time and money a change in the testing system could produce, schools could revolutionize the academic lives of its students.
So, what if all this talk of change is just that: political talk? With the AFT and the National Education Association immediate positive responses to the President’s announcement, it would be safe to say that ‘hyping up’ change and then not following through, in this case, would be like poking two of the largest teacher union bears out there. Whether this administration passes the test to change our education system or not, one thing is clear — this change must happen at some point. The loss of countless education opportunities has never been more evident and scarring of the potential of every student in this country.
Anna Ayers is a freshman studying journalism and finance. What do you think of a change in standardized tests? Email her at aa183414@ohio.edu.
